Near the end of his freshman football season in 2011, he planned to approach Brush High School officials about attempting a rare winter sports double — play basketball and also wrestle.

No, he had never heard of Dan Gable also trying to be a shooting guard or Cael Sanderson playing power forward, but he missed wrestling like a first love. Still, he had committed to play basketball during the winter, passing on a singlet and head gear for a jersey and baggy shorts.

But days grew to weeks, and Rosenbrock didn't get up the nerve. "He chickened out," said his father, Brian.

Last fall, though, Rosenbrock made his request well in advance, had extensive meetings with Brush officials, talked it over with his parents and then followed through. His story is one of the most unusual among the 896 qualifiers for the 78th state wrestling tournament, which begins Thursday at the Pepsi Center.

Through convenience, happenstance and the support of others, and a work ethic that Brush coaches insist is extraordinary, Rosenbrock has pulled off the unusual double since late November. And he's far from a token participant.

Wrestling at 170 pounds, he is seeded eighth in Class 3A and regarded as a medal contender, having compiled a 23-4 record that includes 20 pins. He placed second in his regional and had an opportunity for a pin to win the title. In basketball, the 6-footer is averaging 8.7 points and 6.1 rebounds for a 16-3 team that allowed him to miss action this weekend to wrestle in Denver.

"I've never heard of this and I've been in 2A and 3A," said Beetdiggers wrestling coach Troy Lussenhop. "But when he puts his mind to something, he gives 100 percent."

Brush boys basketball coach Ken Garcia agreed to share Rosenbrock with the wrestling team. Athletic director Jason Strauch said he didn't want to squelch Rosenbrock's dream and have him "be one of those who's 22 or 23 and holds a grudge against the coaches or school because he wasn't given an opportunity. Ultimately, it's about his experience."

Rosenbrock said it was an easy decision for him to participate in two sports at the same time. "I've been wrestling since I was 4. Last year was the first one I didn't wrestle. I really wanted to do this," he said.

Sunday set aside as rest day.

Rosenbrock's day begins at 6:45 a.m. and includes a full schedule of classes, two practices or a game/match and a practice, several showers and going to bed late. He glows when discussing it.

Kyle Rosenbrock, left, wakes up early and goes to bed late. But the long days are worth it, says the Brush sophomore, whose GPA is 4.0. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

Rosenbrock's four-sport school year includes football in the fall and baseball in the spring. Last fall he rushed for 1,606 yards and 23 touchdowns and caught nine passes for 140 yards and three touchdowns as 2A Brush finished 8-3. Last spring, the pitcher and infielder helped carry the Beetdiggers to the Class 3A state championship game. He hit a three-run homer and a sacrifice fly in a 6-4 loss to Eaton.

Asked how he juggles his winter schedule, he said, "You find a way to do it ... and they involve two different types of endurance."

His father keeps an eye on him. Sunday is a day off.

"It was his idea. We didn't push him into it," said Brian Rosenbrock. "We made it clear that if his grades were suffering or he was getting worn out or had injuries, one of the two had to go and he had to make a decision."

The decision, so far, is to continue for his final two years of high school. After all, Kyle carries a 4.0 grade-point average.

"He's a natural athlete," Strauch said. "You should see his technique in weightlifting."

Son of teachers, farmers.

Brush senior Tyler Stratman, who precedes Rosenbrock in the wrestling lineup at 160 pounds, said all Beetdiggers joke with him: "Sometimes he'll miss matches and we'll give him a hard time." Others are waiting for Rosenbrock to throw a wrestling move at a basketball player.

He keeps his parents busy trying to attend all of his games and matches, not that they have much idle time. Both are school teachers and farm about 300 acres of hay, wheat and corn. They enjoy being in Brush one night for basketball, then, say, Sterling the next night for wrestling.

"If he wasn't doing these sports, I could probably get more work out of him," his father said. "My schedule? It is crazy, but people walk up to Audrey and I and say, 'You guys are super parents.' But, no, it's the other way around. Nobody gets to do what we do. It's not a burden. Who else sees his kid compete every night of the week?"

Rosenbrock said he didn't anticipate how well the Brush wrestling and basketball teams would be doing. "We have a chance to be at the top end for both," he said.

And if he becomes a state champion in both? "It would be the highlight of my sports life," he said.

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